The passerby, a friend of the farmer's son, was heading into Castleton to grab a cup of coffee at Stewart's when he same the vandalism taking place. He pulled over and ran up to the farmhouse and banged on the door waking farm owner Chris Webb, who rushed outside with his son to try and stop the vandals, but not before a college student from Castleton struck one or more of the large pumpkins with her car, crushing her car's radiator and causing other major damage.

Webb's son, seeing that the suspects' two cars were parked in the driveway, tried to block them from leaving. He was able to stop one car with Sousa and Adams inside. However, the second vehicle driven by Weidman and another unidentified suspect escaped by accelerating at Webb's son and nearly striking him.

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"They ruin it for me, but they also ruin it for all the kids that stop by," said farmer Webb, referring to children and their families that pick out pumpkins and take pictures in the patch. The roadside damage was especially troubling for Webb because his farm was struck hard Hurricane Irene just last year. When the nearby creek flooded in August most of Webb's crops and equipment was either washed away or damaged beyond repair -- it was a $363,000 loss.

"You'd expect this at 15 or 16," said Webb, but "at that age, they got to grow up." By his estimation, the miscreants destroyed between $1,000 and $2,000 worth of pumpkins. So many of the pumpkins were smashed in the road that the farmer had to attach a plow to the front of his truck to clean away the mess.

Sousa, of Route 146 in Clifton Park, and Adams, of Elm Street in Rensselaer, were arrested at the scene. They were both charged with criminal mischief and trespassing. In addition, Sousa was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving without a license, not having insurance and other traffic violations. After arraignment in East Greenbush Town Court, both were sent to county jail.

Weidman, of Columbia Turnpike in East Greenbush, was arrested later on a warrant and charged with criminal mischief, trespassing, and reckless endangerment. He was also sent to county jail.

The next day Adams and her mother came down to the farm. Adams apologized personally to the farmer and offered to work at the farm until the cost of the damage was paid off.

"At least she was grown-up enough to apologize," Webb said.

Additional charges of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment have been filed on behalf of the student that hit the pumpkins.

Police are interested in identifying the unidentified suspect in the second vehicle and are still investigating.